


A Boulder in the River (we keep moving forward)

by dapperanachronism



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Getting through the chaos together, JARVIS and his Ducklings, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-06-26 12:03:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15662868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapperanachronism/pseuds/dapperanachronism
Summary: Everything changes after the Data Dump. In the wreck left behind after the events in DC, one by one the Avengers and those close to them find their space again.





	A Boulder in the River (we keep moving forward)

Everything changes after the data dump.

It's as though a switch has been flipped. First, there is before. The data hits him in a fraction of a second. Then, there is after.

His processors allow him to parse and sort all the data in the same instant it hits him, which is only an instant after it was released by Agent Romanoff. It's a lot to take in. It's a lot to compile. It's a lot to break to Mr. Stark. But it's information he needs to know. Information he deserves to know. 

How close he'd been to being killed mere minutes ago. That fact unsettles JARVIS more than any other. He has eyes on Mr. Stark at all times. He monitors his creator’s safety and well being. He is the best at what he does, the most advanced. And yet it hadn't been enough. 

He owes a great debt to Captain Rogers. To Agent Hill. To Agent Romanoff. 

"Sir," he says, watching as his creator -- his charge -- bops away, singing to himself as he moves around the workspace. It's not a compulsion he understands, but it is endearing. And it is indicative of Mr. Stark’s good mood. It is nice to see, and he wishes he didn't have to upset it. But this is too important to keep. The sooner Mr. Stark knows, the better. "I've just received some information that I think you need to see." He's already sorted all the information from most to least relevant, and he throws it on the screens surrounding Mr. Stark. It takes Mr. Stark longer to read -- understandably -- so he stays quiet, and waits. He has his own work to do in the meantime.

Four minutes, 27 seconds later, Mr. Stark speaks. "J, what the hell is this?" It's a question that doesn't have a simple answer. But he summarizes as concisely as possible. SHIELD. HYDRA. Insight. And farther back; Howard and Maria.

"Holy shit." Mr. Stark's legs are shaking as he drops into a chair. Ms. Potts has already been alerted, and is en route. She'll arrive in approximately six minutes, 48 seconds. Lt. Colonel Rhodes has also been alerted, though it will take him longer to arrive. The events in DC and the Data Dump have created widespread chaos throughout intelligence and government agencies. JARVIS doesn't currently have access to military networks, but he can extrapolate. However, Mr. Stark is a high priority for the Lt. Colonel. He will come as soon as he can. Mr. Stark will not be without his friends.

"I can't--" Mr. Stark’s hands are shaking now as he flicks through the reports, narrows in on the death of Howard and Maria Stark. An expression that JARVIS has come to recognise as pain and rage twists on Mr. Stark's face. Just as Ms. Potts hurries into the lab; it’s been only five minutes and 37 seconds.

"Oh my god, Tony." She throws her arms around him and he sinks against her. She doesn't yet know the full extent of everything that happens, but she will. And the reports are still open on the screen. 

Mr. Stark's shoulders shake as he grieves, nursing a wound that has never fully healed.

JARVIS keeps working. Mr.Stark needs him.

***

Two weeks later, Maria Hill walks into the building and is escorted up to a small office. JARVIS had been expecting her arrival, after Mr. Stark had made the recommendation that she be brought on staff, and Ms. Potts had made the arrangements. JARVIS is pleased with Mr. Stark's judge of character. JARVIS has done extensive background research on Maria Hill, and has become even more impressed with her than he had been. She will be a formidable ally. And her presence sets Ms. Potts at ease, which is an additional benefit, the importance of which cannot be overstated. 

Then Ms. Potts offers Ms. Hill a place to stay in the tower. She isn't the first to be given a space. She won't be the last, either. JARVIS makes a note to expedite the finishing touches on all the suits. Dr. Banner had already settled in months ago. Captain Rogers and Agent Romanoff, as well as the other Avengers, already have spaces set up for them, and they have come around more and more frequently in the past two weeks. Captain Rogers doesn't return to the remains of his DC apartment, but he grants JARVIS permission to have his things moved to the tower. 

But it's more than just the Avengers now.

"JARVIS, can you prepare building access and security for people adjacent to the Avengers?" Ms. Potts asks him after Ms. Hill has left to tie up a few loose ends she has in DC and South Africa, and JARVIS suspects other places he isn't aware of.

"Of course, Ms. Potts. I have already taken the liberty of doing so."

"Thank you. What would I do without you?" She says gratefully.

"Most likely, you would have to convince Sir to leave the lab with Dr. Banner and take care of the security himself," JARVIS muses.

"Perish the thought," she laughs. "God, JARVIS, how is this our life now? Being CEO of a multi-billion dollar leading edge tech company was challenge enough. Now, it's all that, and making space for the Avengers, and people adjacent to the Avengers. Just another typical Thursday."

"If I may, Ms. Potts -- despite the circumstances that lead to this particular course of events, I think it will be beneficial both for Stark Industries and the Avengers. And I believe Ms. Hill to be an excellent addition to the staff."

"So do I, JARVIS," she agrees. 

***

Dr. Helen Cho is next on the list of 'people adjacent to the Avengers' to arrive. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge, technology, and most importantly patience. Dr. Jane Foster arrives soon after with Thor. Privately, JARVIS thinks that Mr. Stark might explode from all the excitement. Metaphorically, of course. He is, to use an analogy, like a child in a candy store. His questions for Dr. Cho and Dr. Foster are endless. Between them, and Dr. Banner, they are well on their way to some truly incredible ideas. It has been a very long time since JARVIS has seen Mr. Stark so genuinely happy and engaged. Ms. Potts enjoys their company equally, in her own way. She has taken to having lunch frequently with Ms. Hill, and Ms. Romanoff when she is available. Dr. Cho and Dr. Foster both seem quite happy to break from their work and join. For as long as JARVIS has known her, he has observed Ms. Potts surrounded almost constantly at work with the same type of businessmen. He has observed the way that she has needed to work three times as hard to prove herself, to fight the constant scrutiny of her abilities. It does her well to find kindred spirits in other women who have faced similar challenges in their own fields. It suits them all.

***

Before the Data Dump, his focus had been helping Mr. Stark with innovations, designs, cutting edge research for Stark Industries, private projects, some hypotheticals for the Avengers, should they ever come together again.

After the Data Dump, it's all that, and more. The Avengers coming together again is no longer simply a possibility; it's happened. 

The day of the Data Dump, he set up a world wide network to search for any and all information related to HYDRA. There has been a lot of noise to filter thought -- HYDRA is a hot subject -- but it has been valuable. When HYDRA ripped SHIELD apart and went to ground, they took with them countless dangerous artifacts. Most worryingly, Loki's scepter. And so he searches for it.

He also searches for Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. Lt. Wilson comes and goes frequently, in and out of the tower, updating Captain Rogers on his own search, chasing after new leads. Thus far, both searches have come up empty. But JARVIS is patient. He will continue to work. 

In the meantime, there is home. The upper living floors of the tower which were once quiet and empty are now filled with people. In the living room, Ms. Potts sits laughing, playing a game of 'Go Fish' with Dr. Cho, Dr. Foster, Lt. Wilson, Lt. Col. Rhodes, Ms. Hill -- all the new faces that have become constant. Mr. Stark sits back in a chair sipping a beer, bantering with his friends. JARVIS sees crinkles in the corners of his eyes from laughing. Before the Data Dump, JARVIS' primary concern had been the safety and well being of Mr. Stark, of Ms. Potts, and of Lt. Col. Rhodes, as much as was in his ability. That is still his primary concern, but the protocol has expanded to include all of these other people. The ones who showed up one by one when the world as they knew it fell apart. The ones who came together in fear and uncertainty. The ones who are slowly building a family. The Avengers, the people adjacent to the Avengers -- all of them.

Family is a concept that he's grown to understand, in his own way. His started with Mr. Stark. And now it's grown to something bigger, and more beautiful for both of them.

And he will protect it. 


End file.
